Brewster, N.Y. – 9/05/2013 – Senator Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) is happy to announce that over 40 officials will be participating in an Emergency Unfunded Mandate and Tax Relief Roundtable this Saturday including Senator John Flanagan (R, C, I – East Northport), Chairman of the New York State Senate Committee on Education.

Unfunded mandates drive up costs of schools, municipalities, and ultimately taxes. Albany has a long history of passing unfunded mandates down to local municipalities and schools. In part, these mandates have forced New York to have some of the highest taxes in the nation.

To combat these unfunded mandates, Senator Greg Ball has developed a Mandate Relief Advisory Council. Ball’s Advisory Council and Mahopac Central School District Superintendent Thomas Manko will be hosting an Emergency Unfunded Mandate and Tax Relief Roundtable at 11 AM on September 7, 2013, at Mahopac High School, located at 421 Baldwin Place Rd, in Mahopac, NY.

“Unfunded mandates are crushing our local governments and school districts all across the state. We need unfunded mandate relief and we need it now,” said Senator Greg Ball. “I am happy to host this roundtable with Superintendent Manko, to dig deeper into these burdensome testing requirements, local reporting nightmares and administrative bureaucracy. There are a myriad of opportunities for Albany to deliver relief.”

“Meaningful mandate relief for our schools is crucial to the future of our education system and I thank Senator Ball for the invitation to discuss the impact they have on this region. While school leaders have consistently expressed the need for relief, there has not been a clear consensus regarding which mandates should be repealed. This forum will allow for an open dialogue on the issue and help us map out a plan that will provide the most relief to school districts and taxpayers,” stated Senator John Flanagan, Chairman of the New York State Senate Committee on Education.

“When it comes to paying for Albany’s and Washington’s unfunded and underfunded school mandates, school districts are left footing the bill. Here in Mahopac, we are proud of our K-12 educational program, which culminates in a Senior High School program that prepares students for college and the workforce and has been designated by Newsweek Magazine as one of “America’s Best” for four consecutive years. However, we are drowning in unfunded and underfunded mandates that must be paid for by the taxpayer and consume nearly 18% of the district’s annual budget. If we continue at this rate, layoffs will increase at a rapid pace and cutting essential programs as a solution to balance the budget will become inevitable just to pay for these mandated programs and services,” said Superintendent Manko. “I am happy to co-host this roundtable with Senator Ball and I would like to thank him for his commitment to providing us with much needed unfunded mandate relief.”

Rob Rolison, Chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature and Chairman of Senator Ball’s Unfunded Mandate Relief Advisory Council, stated, “Counties, local municipalities and schools throughout New York State are faced with unfunded mandates leaving them with limited resources for discretionary programs. Today 72% of our county budget consists of non-discretionary spending leaving only 28% of our funds to support services like Sheriff’s law enforcement patrol, emergency response, and repairs to roads and bridges. As we continue to appeal for relief, Senator Ball’s Mandate Relief Advisory Council provides the opportunity to have an open dialogue with state lawmakers of our concerns.”

“In Putnam County nearly 75 percent of our taxes go directly to unfunded mandates. While the 2 percent tax cap was a good thing, we need mandate relief to continue to comply and keep our taxes down. Unfunded mandates make it very difficult for the county to properly fund law enforcement and emergency services for our people,” said Sheriff Donald B. Smith. “I am honored to join Senator Ball in his fight and I thank him for his commitment to lowering our taxes and delivering real unfunded mandate relief.”

“I am happy to stand by Senator Greg Ball in his efforts to provide real unfunded mandate relief at the local level,” said Yorktown Councilman Terrence Murphy. “Here in Yorktown we have made history by not only staying under the two percent tax cap, but delivering an unheard of 3.62 percent decrease. However, it is getting increasingly difficult to stay under the cap with the current unfunded mandates we have in place. We desperately need mandate relief and all future mandates must be funded.”

The roundtable agenda will include reviewing a survey of unfunded mandates, the mandate relief resolutions submit to Governor Cuomo’s Mandate Relief Council by schools and municipalities in the 40th Senate District and the mandates frequently raised in discussion with school administrators, municipalities, board members and the public.

If you would like to attend the Mandate Relief Roundtable, please RSVP to (845) 279-3773 or kgobins@nysenate.gov.

What: Mandate Relief Roundtable

When: Saturday, September 7, 2013 at 11 AM

Where: Mahopac High School New Gym: 421 Baldwin Place Rd, in Mahopac, NY.

Who: Senator Greg Ball, Senate District 40

Thomas Manko, Mahopac Central School District Superintendent

Senator John Flanagan, Chairman of the NYS Senate Committee on Education

About Greg Ball

Assemblyman Greg Ball (R, C, I – Patterson) is the Senator for New York State's 40th district. A former Vice President of Exceed International Development Corporation, Ball holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the United States Air Force Academy, is currently completing his Masters Thesis of Liberal Studies in International Affairs at Georgetown University, and received an honorable discharge in 2005 at the rank of Captain after service as an active duty officer in the United States Air Force.
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